The invention relates to a display device having a vacuum-tight envelope comprising a transparent front wall which is provided with a display screen having a pattern of luminescent pixels, which display device comprises an internal selection structure which is provided with holes and with a plurality of electrodes for addressing desired pixels.
The invention also relates to a connection element comprising a springy end portion and a feed-through portion for use in a display device.
The invention also relates to a strip provided with a plurality of connection elements.
Display devices for displaying monochromatic or color images comprise, inter alia, (flat) cathode ray tubes (CRTs), plasma display panels (PDPs) and plasma-addressed liquid-crystal display devices (PALC displays).
A display device is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,313,136. The display device (of the thin type) described in said document comprises a vacuum envelope having a transparent front wall an inner surface of which is provided with a display screen having a pattern of luminescent pixels, and said vacuum envelope further comprises a rear wall (which is connected to the front wall by side walls and/or partitions) which extends parallel to the front wall. The known display device comprises at least an electron source for generating electrons and addressing means for guiding said electrons to the display screen. The addressing means comprise a selection structure, which is composed of a stack of flat plates which are provided with coaxial apertures and on which a plurality of electrodes are provided for addressing the electrons. As soon as the electrons have passed through the selection structure, they are accelerated so as to provide the electrons with sufficient energy to excite the luminescent pixels, so that a high luminance is achieved.
A type of plasma display panels (PDP) comprises, in a vacuum envelope, a selection structure provided with holes and with row electrodes and column electrodes, which selection structure is situated between a rear wall provided with a plasma cathode and a front wall provided with a display screen having a pattern of luminescent pixels. In operation, a gas discharge is maintained between the plasma cathode and a (series of) row electrode(s), which serve(s) as the anode. A number of electrons from the gas discharge, which arrive at the anode, pass through the holes of the selection structure at a location where a row electrode and a column electrode cross each other. The current through the selection structure is determined by the voltage applied across the column electrode corresponding to the relevant row electrode. As soon as the electrons have passed through the selection structure, they are accelerated so as to provide the electrons with sufficient energy to excite the luminescent pixels, so that a high luminance is achieved.
In an alternative type of plasma display panels, a plasma is generated which plasma produces UV-light to address the relevant luminescent pixels by means of the selection structure.
A disadvantage of the known display device is that rejects occur during the manufacture thereof, which is undesirable.